Legal Issues for Texas Civil Engineers Seminar Seminar
DISCLAIMER
Before purchasing, review the rules of your licensing or certifying entity. It is your responsibility to confirm this course meets your CE requirements. See the credit tab on the course page for details.
What’s Included: Full webinar recording, written course materials, expert instruction, a mandatory quiz, and a certificate upon completion.
Deliverability Timeline: All courses are generally available within 1-2 weeks after the live presentation.
CE Credits: AIA and/or LA/CES accreditation is available by request for courses recorded prior to March 11, 2026. All courses after that date include those accreditations by default, if applicable. With these accreditations, our courses qualify for credit in nearly all states for engineers, surveyors, architects, and landscape architects.
Learn more about the on-demand format in our FAQ or contact us at (715) 835-5900 or customerservice@halfmoonseminars.org
Agenda
Registration: 8:00 – 8:30 am
Morning Session: 8:30 am – 12:15 pm
Lunch (On your own): 12:15 – 1:15 pm
Afternoon Session: 1:15 – 5:30 pm
Land Use Law S.O. Izfar
Understanding land use law
• Governmental power and authority to zone
• Governmental bodies with the power to zone
• Comprehensive land use planning
Finding existing land use laws and regulations
Seeking zoning variances or rezoning
Participating in zoning administrative appeals
Participating in land use litigation
Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law C. Nichols
Understanding eminent domain powers
• Source of eminent domain powers
• History of the exercise of eminent domain powers
• Types of eminent domain “takings”
Participating in the condemnation process
Appealing a condemnation decision
Understanding regulatory “takings” and inverse condemnation
State and Federal Site Contamination Law A. Prieto
Discovering existing soil and/or groundwater contamination
Understanding applicable rules and regulations
Understanding liability issues
Exploring remediation and brownfield redevelopment
Civil Engineering Liability A. Richie
Understanding civil engineer’s duties and obligations
Reviewing common professional liability causes of action:
• Breach of contract, negligence, strict liability,
fraud, misrepresentationIdentifying to whom the engineer owes a duty
Complying with the standard of care
Reviewing common defenses to liability
Participating in the liability claims process and in liability litigation
Implementing strategies to minimize professional liability claims
Handling Ethical Issues in Civil Engineering Practice B. Wheatley
Promoting health and welfare vs. managing risk:
complementary or conflicting duties?
Protecting the environment: meeting or exceeding
legal requirements
Watching the bottom line: identifying and balancing economic
pressures in design and construction
Integrating new technologies: identifying and balancing the
benefits and risks
Overview of Contract Law S. Quadros
Reviewing standard forms of agreement
Understanding contract documents and formation
Determining scope of services and changes
Specifying risk allocation provisions
Handling problems with contract performance
Credits
This seminar offers 7.5 PDHs,
including 1.0 ethics hour, to
Texas professional engineers.
Continuing Education Credit Information
This seminar is open to the public and offers 7.5 PDHs, including 1.0 ethics hour, to Texas professional engineers. Educators and courses are not subject to preapproval in Texas.
Professional engineers seeking continuing education credits in other states will be able to apply the hours earned at this seminar, in most cases. Refer to specific state rules to determine eligibility.
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the seminar for most individuals who complete the entire event. Attendance certificates not available at the seminar will be mailed to participants within fifteen business days.
Speakers
Omar Izfar
Attorney with Wilson Cribbs & Goren, in Houston, TXMr. Izfar represents private land owners and developers in navigating land use and zoning issues in connection with local regulation of commercial and industrial developments as well as master-planned communities. Previously, he was Assistant City Attorney for the City of Houston where his practice focused on land development regulations within the City of Houston and public-private partnerships. Mr. Izfar earned his B.A. degree from Emory University and his J.D. degree from the Rutgers-Camden School of Law.
Christopher Nichols
The Nichols FirmThe Nichols Firm, HoustonMr. Nichols is an attorney who concentrates his practice in municipal law, real estate and land use, economic development and general civil litigation. In his municipal law practice, he serves local municipalities on a variety of matters including real estate, land use law and zoning. Currently, Mr. Nichols is the city attorney for the City of Oak Ridge North, Texas, just north of Houston. Mr. Nichols also represents private sector clients on real estate matters including purchase agreements, commercial leasing and defaults, billboard regulation and lease negotiations, easement and license agreements, boundary disputes, condominium and property owner association, deed restriction and restrictive covenant interpretation and law enforcement, and wrongful foreclosures. Mr. Nichols is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Houston Bar Association.
Ashley Prieto
Porter HedgesPorter Hedges, HoustonMs. Prieto is of counsel in environmental section of Porter Hedges. Ms. Prieto counsels firm clients on environmental, health and safety issues relating to regulatory programs, including air and water quality, solid and hazardous waste, and oil and gas. She represents clients in a range of industries, including chemicals, construction, oil and gas, oilfield service, waste management and manufacturing. Ms. Prieto has represented clients involved in regulatory, permitting, remediation, compliance and enforcement matters, and she has participated in the negotiation of agreed orders in state and federal enforcement actions, represented clients performing remediation efforts pursuant to the Texas Voluntary Cleanup Program and represented clients in determining the applicability of state and federal regulatory programs. She has also represented clients involved in federal Superfund cost recovery litigation and corporate clients with respect to environmental due diligence.
Shannon Quadros
Chmaberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & AughtryKilmer Crosby & Walker, HoustonMr. Quadros is a shareholder in the Houston office of Kilmer Crosby & Walker PLLC. He is a trial attorney focusing on construction, trade secret, and real estate litigation. Mr. Quadros has an M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and extensive business experience in real estate transactions and development. He has worked with owners, developers, landlords and tenants in all areas of real estate acquisition, financing, development, leasing and sales. Mr. Quadros also serves as a mediator and arbitrator in the Houston area.
Adam Richie,
Munsch Hardt Kopf & HarrAttorney at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr in Austin
Mr. Richie is an attorney in the construction and construction litigation sections of Munsch Hardt. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Richie worked as a mechanical engineer and project manager at a prominent consulting engineering firm in Houston, Texas, and then after obtaining his law degree, as general counsel. He is also one of a handful of attorneys in Texas credentialed as a licensed professional engineer and a LEED-accredited professional (AP). He has experience in drafting and negotiating complex design and construction contracts for all types of commercial projects. Mr. Richie has also successfully represented owners (public and private), general contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals in numerous lawsuits and disputes.
Benton Wheatley
Duane Morris, LLPPartner, Duane Morris, LLP
Mr. Wheatley practices in the area of construction law with a focus on construction, design and engineering disputes and transactions. His practice has included: complex delay; impact; defective design; defective construction or differing site conditions claims involving mediation, litigation or arbitration; and problem project workouts, including negotiating with sureties and owners. He also has experience with the drafting and negotiation of complex construction, design and engineering contracts and environmental issues concerning construction projects. Mr. Wheatley is certified in Construction Law by the State Bar of Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Law and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.